BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The UAB baseball team will host Southern Miss this weekend in a Conference USA three-game series at Young Memorial Field. The series, pitting the top two teams in the latest C-USA standings, will begin on Friday night at 6:30 p.m. Saturday’s contest will start at 2 p.m., while the finale is slated for 1 p.m.

Blazers Knock Off No. 16 Alabama, 2-1The UAB baseball team recorded a 2-1 victory against No. 16 Alabama on Wednesday, April 9 on the road. It marked the second nationally ranked opponent UAB has defeated in 2014.

UAB has won five of the past six contests against Alabama. Redshirt sophomore outfielder Griffin Gum led the way for the Blazers offensively, matching his career-high with three hits and registering the game-winning RBI. Redshirt freshman left-handed pitcher Adam Lamar scored his first win on the year and sophomore right-handed pitcher Adam Lau got his fourth save of 2014. The duo was two of eight Blazer pitchers to throw on the night.

Working For The WeekendUAB’s weekend rotation of senior right-handed pitcher Chase Mallard, junior right-handed pitcher Alex Luna, and redshirt junior right-handed pitcher Johnny Lieske have been one of the top staffs in the nation thus far this season. The trio holds a cumulative 1.25 ERA, which ranks second in the country. Conference USA member FIU leads Division I baseball with a 1.11 mark.

Mallard and Luna are both among the top pitchers in the conference and league. Mallard currently ranks third in C-USA in ERA, while Luna is fourth. In the country, Mallard is 12th and Luna places 14th. In addition, Mallard allows 4.07 hits per game, which ranks fifth in the nation. Luna has an 11.67 strikeout-to-walk ratio, well enough for ninth in Division I baseball.